How Can I Quit Smoking While Pregnant
Pregnancy is a very important phase in any woman’s life. It is a complete transformation that a female gender will undergo from being a woman of substance to a mother. This is an enjoyable tenure that brings in a lot of hopes and aspirations in a woman’s mind. However, there are few things that have to be given up by an expecting mother in terms of food and habits. There are many women in this world who smoke as a habit, rather as an addiction. This is a definite NO-NO when it comes to pregnancy.
There can be devastating effects that could be caused to the baby in the womb because of smoking mothers. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including truly nasty things like cyanide, lead, and at least 60 cancer-causing compounds. When a woman smokes during pregnancy, that toxic brew gets into the bloodstream which is the baby’s only source of oxygen and nutrients.
Further more, two compounds are especially harmful: nicotine and carbon monoxide. These two toxins account for almost every smoking-related complication in pregnancy, of which the most serious complication would be stillbirth, premature delivery, and low birth weight. Nicotine cuts off the oxygen supply by narrowing blood vessels throughout the body, including the ones in the umbilical cord. Long term risks include asthma, allergies, not meeting developmental milestones, and learning disorders. In addition, the rate of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is much higher among families that smoke and mothers who smoked during pregnancy.
If a woman continues to smoke even after realising she is pregnant, there should be immediate steps taken toward quitting. To stop smoking during pregnancy is not a very Herculean task. About forty percent of pregnant smokers do stop during their pregnancy-a rate that’s much higher than any other group.
There are ways that help in making a woman stop smoking during pregnancy;
- Talking to the care provider is a safe and easy option that a woman can resort to. They may be able to recommend a safe patch or a nicotine replacement option. They may also be able to recommend a counsellor or a stop smoking program.
- There could also be alternatives sought for smoking like chewing gum, grab a quick and healthy snack. Some take deep breaths, meditation or positive affirmations like “I will not smoke for my baby” or “I do not need to smoke.”
- Ask other smokers also not to smoke. Not only will the baby receive the effects of the second-hand smoke, but the strong urge to smoke will slowly die down.
- Talk to friends and family members who have quit. Ask them what worked for them, and tips on how they quit. Check out web boards and chat groups for moms who quit smoking while pregnant; they have great advice to offer.
- Initially during the first phase of stopping to smoke, if the craving is too high, then by having one smoke, one has to simply move on. This should not deter the individual from quitting to smoke for good.
A woman should always remember the true motive of quitting to smoke,’ the baby’. Put up pictures of healthy babies in the cubicle or on the fridge. Hang the ultrasound pictures where an expecting mother can see them everyday. These are positive motivations that drive a woman’s will power to stop smoking and lead a healthy life.
